Iconic small business in Saco will soon close

After more than 50 years, one of Saco’s most well-known businesses will soon close its doors on Dec. 31, signaling the end of an era on Main Street.

Former mayor Mark Johnston said he has “finally decided to retire,” and will be closing Vic & Whit’s, a deli and sandwich shop that also often served as an auxiliary office for Saco’s outspoken mayor.

Johnston, 73, said he will continue to own the building, but his days of making and selling sandwiches, soups and deli foods are coming to an end.

Johnston’s former wife, Elizabeth ‘Beth’ Johnston, will continue to operate her boutique wine store, which will be moved into the spot now occupied by the deli. Moving the wine store will allow another restaurant to expand on the building’s first floor.

“I have been thinking about this for a while,” Johnston said during a recent interview. “Covid impacted many small businesses. Things changed, and I don’t see things returning to the status quo before the pandemic.”

Johnston said foot traffic on Main Street has dropped off sharply, a trend that started more than 30 years ago when downtown manufacturing mills, such as the Saco Tannery and a Nike shoe plant, began closing.

Johnston was forced to shorten the deli’s hours, opening at 10 a.m. and closing at 6 p.m. But like many other downtowns across the country, Saco’s downtown has undergone dramatic changes in order to keep up with consumer trends.

Vic & Whit’s is one of the longest operating business by one owner on Main Street. 

“Sandwiches are a dead business,” Johnston said. “People are drawn downtown to purchase a diversity of wines, but not sandwiches.”

The building itself is older than the state of Maine, built in 1808.

Mark and Beth Johnston opened the deli on Beach Street in 1972. They moved the business to Main Street in 1975 so they could have more space for making their own bread and rolls. They initially leased the Saco Pastry Shop space from former State Fire Marshal Lawrence Dolby, and Mark decided to purchase the building a few years later.

When asked what he is going to do with all of his free time, Johnston shrugged and said he has no big plans.

“I’m not going to die,” he laughed. “But I can just take it easy and focus on helping my kids and taking care of my properties.”

Johnston owns several real estate parcels in downtown Saco near the corner of Elm and Storer streets. “I basically built my own historic district,” he said, noting that three of his properties are listed in the National Historic Register.

“Lately, I have become fascinated with flowers and plants, and I’m creating a nice little garden on the corner of Water and Elm streets,” he said.

After a fire destroyed the Olympia Fruit Store on the corner of Main and Storer streets, Johnston purchased the lot and decided to open an outdoor café in that spot in 1983.

“It didn’t really work the way I envisioned it, but it’s still a very nice space,” Johnston said. “But I liked owning it – sort of like a mini-Monopoly game.”

Although Johnston had many loyal customers, his Main Street deli was also well-known as a hot spot for political discussions, battles and settlements. Real estate developers would pitch their proposals while Johnston was making a roast beef sandwich for a waiting customer.

Johnston served several terms as the city’s mayor. Although it has been more than 10 years since he decided to retire from public service, his oldest son Nathan serves today on the City Council. His ex-wife Beth Johnston is a member of the Saco School Board and she was recently recognized for her efforts to create a new campus to replace the city’s aging public schools.

“People always knew how to find me,” Johnston laughed. “I think they really appreciated how accessible I was. When I stepped down as mayor, I told [incoming mayor] Ron Michaud that he should open a downtown coffee shop.”

Johnston said he always knew that we wanted to work in public policy, and said he is proud of his accomplishments, beginning with his service as class president during his senior year at Thornton Academy.

“I enjoy being part of the community and having an active role in this city’s progress,” the former mayor said. “I made mistakes, but I don’t think anyone would ever question my work ethic.”

Johnston said his mother was his inspiration. “She raised us all by herself, and I look back and admire all the things she accomplished, despite being a single mother. Truly an inspiration,” he said.

Asked about his favorite memories in the store, Johnston recalled a Christmas Eve visit from John Casella, the CEO of Casella Waste Systems. At the time, Casella owned the embattled Maine Energy Recovery Company [MERC] waste incinerator, and Johnston was leading the charge to close the facility through several lawsuits, on behalf of the city and individually.

“He just smiled and asked if we could just talk for a few minutes,” Johnston recalled. “He was friendly, we didn’t find much common ground but our relationship improved.

“So, there you go. Christmas Eve at a small delicatessen on Main Street in Saco; the mayor and MERC’s owner, drinking coffee and talking about the future.

“There were so many other great conversations,” Johnston said. “That’s what I am going to miss. The customers and all those conversations.”

Editor’s Note: If you or someone you know has a Vic & Whit’s gift card, Johnston is asking that you please use the card before the end of December. “I don’t want to see anyone lose money because we decided to close,” he said.

Randy Seaver is the editor of the Biddeford Gazette. He lives in Biddeford.